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Re: Building Hives

I have built 4 double deep 10 frame langstroths including the frames. all from found wood. so the cost was nothing but my time. I am still looking for some exterior oops paint to keep that cost down as well. I plan to make 3 med supers for each hive in time. still looking for the wood to make those. I also managed to get 4 nuc boxes out of the free wood.

Re: Building Hives

Have built some supers and Beesource link above does provide proper inside dimensions. However, I question the vertical height dimensions as it results in greater than 3/8 or bee space vertically between frames. Frames being 9 1/8 and dimension is 9 5/8 results in 1/2 space. Seems to encourage comb, honey and drone brood that is messy to clean. 9 1/2 makes more sense to me

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got!

Re: Building Hives

Originally Posted by mgolden

However, I question the vertical height dimensions as it results in greater than 3/8 or bee space vertically between frames. Frames being 9 1/8 and dimension is 9 5/8 results in 1/2 space. Seems to encourage comb, honey and drone brood that is messy to clean. 9 1/2 makes more sense to me

outside dimensions are 9 5/8 but you have a 5/8 rabbit for the frame rest. You need to measure your boxes again with your frames inside and see what your bee space really is.

I have built 50% of my boxes but find that time is my most precious commodity and I don't save enough $ making my own to justify the extra time. I do buy boxes that ihave to assemble and make a lot of my other equipment though. If you are interested in wood working why not give it a try, if not it probably won't save you much in the long run in my opinion.

Re: Building Hives

The thickness of the top bar hanging on the rabbet, is also part of your bee space equasion, between the two boxes.. Bee space also depends on if the inner cover, (or migratory cover) is flush with the top of the box, or there is an indention in it.

Re: Building Hives

I'll make the math and visulization simple. Say I put in a frame rest so that the top of the top bar of the frame is flush with the top of the super. If the frame is 9 1/8 and the super is 9 5/8 then the bottom the frame to the bottom of the super is 1/2.

If the super below is visulized the same, then the top of the frame below is flush with the top of super. So 1/2 space.

Inner covers in our climate are ver common and have 3/8 rims on both sides of them. So bee space just under inner cover is accounted for. Inner covers provide top entrance, ventilation, wood to absorb any problem moisture build up before it drips, 3/8 air insulation space on top side of inner cover.

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got!

Re: Building Hives

mgolden... I guess that is the difference. My boxes, (and Kelly's) are 9 9/16. The top bar is only 3/8 inch where it hangs on the rabbet, so you have 1/4 inch above the top bar. In other words, the top bar is not level with the top of the super, bur rather is 1/4 below.. Thus, Kelly inner covers and migratory covers are flush with the top and do not have the 3/8 inch rim that some companies have. I think the term normally used is having bottom bee space or top bee space.

If yours are flush with the top of the super, and you used a flat migratory cover or flat inner cover, the bees would glue the top bars to the top, because there is no bee space. So, your inner covers have the raised 3/8 to allow bee space above the top bars. Works great as long as you don't interchange equipment from different manufacturers.

Re: Building Hives

Building your own equipment is a lot of fun! But from financial point of view it is not profitable in my opinion - depends, how much free time you have and how valuable your time is? If you buy cheapest ugliest wood in Home Depot (only option to me) - cost of materials would be approximately the same as unassembled commercial unit of comparable size. I have a lot of fun "inventing" new designs for beehive components, but if one converts it into the money, my boxes would cost probably $100 apiece. But I just very happy to work with wood - it brings me back in my childhood when I observed how my grandfather worked with plane, he was a carpenter. I already made more boxes than I needed...

Re: Building Hives

Originally Posted by mgolden

Have built some supers and Beesource link above does provide proper inside dimensions. However, I question the vertical height dimensions as it results in greater than 3/8 or bee space vertically between frames. Frames being 9 1/8 and dimension is 9 5/8 results in 1/2 space. Seems to encourage comb, honey and drone brood that is messy to clean. 9 1/2 makes more sense to me

I agree with reservations. The proper hive body depth is closer to 9 1/2 than 9 5/8. The reason for the extra depth in commercially produced equipment is the wood they use. The wood isn't completely dry...would be warped and cupped it they mill the parts from dry wood. So the manufacturers cut the boards a bit wide so when the wood shrinks, the hive body won't be undersized...which is worse than a bit oversized.

Re: Building Hives

This is my first full year in beekeeping learning as I go and hives here in my area to buy is kind of expensive around $20 for brood boxes 9 5/8 cut out I put them together, just trying to see if I can save.

Re: Building Hives

Without going into all the details of why. the dimensions of the frame in combination of the actual distance from the surface the frame rests on to the bottom of the box. results in a frame that sets 1/4 inch below the top edge of the box and is 1/8 inch short of the bottom of the box. when stacked there is a 3/8 inch bee space between the bottom of the frames in the upper box and the top of the frames in the lower box. I have 15 boxes with frames total that I have built from these drawings. It may be a bit of slight of hand type effect but it does work out with the dimensions as they are on the plans.

Re: Building Hives

Samaira Honey I have been keeping bees for two years know and I have made all of my equipment tops, bottoms screened and unscreened All of of my supers deep and shallow even feeders. I use a table saw and 1/4 inch by 1 3/4 staples I also use glue on all my joints frames to . I tried to make frames got about fifty before I said the heck with this and ordered frames from Western Bee Supply. I buy all my lumber from a real lumber yard Home Depot prices will send you to the poor . I can make a deep for about 4 or 5 dollars shallows for about 3 to 4.50 depends on the price of wood I used the plans from the University of Min. real easy plans to follow. Good luck on building your own equipment.